Mop-head.



Starts JOHAN RTOHARD FROBERG, OF GRASS VALLEY, CALTFORNA', ASSIGNOR OF '.lWVO-THIRDS TO O. E. OLINOH AND A. HALL, OF SAME PLACE.

MOP-HEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,918, dated October 16, 1900- Application filed May 15, 1900. Serial No. 16,799. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHAN RICHARD FRO- BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing a-t Grass Valley, in the county of Nevada and State of California, have invented a new and useful Mop-Head, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mop-heads, and has for its object to provide an improved deio vice of this character which is arranged for conveniently clamping the mop thereto and also for facilitating the release of the clamping-jaws. It is furthermore designed to provide an improved interlocked connection between the jaws, so as to dispense with the usual separate latches, which frequently become broken or damaged.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination 2o and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanyingdrawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective 3o view of a mop-head constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Corresponding parts in the figures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the body or Iixed jaw of the device, which is in the form of a straight bar having an intermediate laterally-projecting 4o socket2for the reception of the usual handle 3. Upon the outer side of the jaw is a plurality of regularly-spaced teeth or prongs 4, which are designed to be forced into the material of the mop proper, as is usual. One end of the iixed jaw is provided with a longitudinal bifurcation or slot 5, which` is located in the plane of the handle-socket, and the opposite sides of the bifurcation are provided with corresponding longitudinally-disposed 5o slots 6. The opposite end of the jaw is provided with a socket 7, that opens outwardly through the outer face of the jaw and has the inner end Wall rounded or beveled inwardly, as at 8. This beveled portion terminates about:I midway between the outer and inner ends of the socket, so as to form an inwardlydirected shoulder 9.

rlhe movable jaw lO is of substantially U shape, of which one of the sides or arms l1 forms a hinged connection with the tixedjaw 6o and the opposite side or arm l2 forms a latch for engagement with the shoulder 9 of the other jaw. The extremity of the hinged arm 11 is formed into a rounded orsubstantiallycircular head 13, which is received within the bifurcation 5 and is hingedly supported therein by means of a suitable pivot-pin 14, the opposite ends of which have a bearing in the respective slots Gand are designed to slide therein, the movement thereof being limited 7o by the opposite ends of the slots. Embracing the rounded head 13 is a bowed leafspring 15, which has its inner end 1G received with in the bifurcation and against the inner end wall thereof, the latter having an ontwardlydirected shoulder 17 to overhang the inner end of the spring, so as to form a notch to anchor said spring', and thereby prevent accidental displacement thereof. rlhe opposite outer end 18 of the spring bears against 8o the outer side of the arm 11, so as to normally force the movable jaw to the outer limit thereof, and is secured in place by means of a substantially U-shaped clip or clamp 19, that embraces the spring and the arm 11 and 85 is connected to the latter by means of suitable fastenings 20. The opposite arm 12 is provided with a hook-shaped latch 21, which is integral therewith and is designed to enter the socket 7 and engage with the catcheshonl- 9o der 9 to interlock the two jaws. Upon the arm 12 and at the inner end of the latch there is provided an outwardly-directed lip or shoulder 22 to rest upon the adjacent outer end of the fixed jaw, and thereby limit the inward movement of the latch into the socket. The inner side of the intermediate portion of the movable jaw is provided with a plurality of teeth or spurs 23, which are spaced so as to be disposed between adjacent teeth of the loo jaw or member, which has one end pivotally fixed jaw in order that allA of the teeth may coperate to firmly grip the material of the mop which is gripped by the jaws.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the outer or movable jaw has a longitudinal movement upon the inner or fixed jaw and is normally held at its outer limit by means of the spring 15, so that the latch-arm may be maintained in engagement with the catch-shoulder, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When it is de-` sired to release the jaws from engagementwith the material of the mop, which it has not been deemed necessary to show, a pressure is placed upon the hinged arm 11, so as to move the hinged jaw longitudinally upon the fixed jaw, and thereby disengage the latch 21 from the catch-shoulder 9, after which the jaw may be conveniently thrown open. When it is desired to clamp the jaws together, it is simply necessary to close themovable jaw toward the fixed jaw, and the outer end of :he latch-arm will ride over the beveled portion of the keeper or catch socket, thereby automatically drawingthe movable jaw inwardly, so that the lah-arm may engage with the catch-shoulder. of the device are formed integral with therespective jaws, so that there is no danger of them becoming lost or displaced, and therefore they are always in proper position for use.

'What is claimed is- 1. A mop-head, comprising opposite jaws or members, which are hingedly or pi votally connected at one end of the head, the opposite free ends of the members being provided with a latch and a catch, respectively, one of the members being longitudinally slid'able upon the other to engage and disengage the latch and catch, and means for yieldingly holding the movable member at its interlocked limit.

2. A mop-head, comprising a fixed jaw or member, a substantially U-shaped movable or hingedly connected to the adjacent end of the fixed member, and also slidable longitudinally thereof, a latch carried by the free end of oneY of the members, a catch carried Thus the interlocking parts by the adjacent end of the other member and arranged for engagement wil h the latch, and a spring engaging both members and yieldingly holding the movable member at its interlocked limit.

3. Amop-head,comprisingafixed jaw, hav- 4ing a longitudinal bifurcation or slot at one end thereof, and a catch at the opposite end, Ia movable jaw, having one end pivoted or hinged within the slot, and also mounted to slide longitudinally therein, the free end of the jaw having a latch to engage the catch,

-and a spring to normally hold the movable jaw at one limit of its slidable movement, to interlock the latch and catch.

4. A mop-head, comprisinga fixed jaw, having a longitudinal bifurcation or slot in one end, lhe opposite sides of the slot being provided With corresponding longitudinally-disposed slots, and a catch at the opposite end of the jaw, a movable jaw, having one end located within the longitudinal bifurcation or slot, and provided with a pivot-pin, which is slidably mounted in the slots in the opposite sides of the longitudinal slot, a latch at the free end of the movable jaw, and a spring to hold the movable jaw at its inward limit.

5. A mop-head, comprising a fixed jaw, having a longitudinal bifurcation at one end, corresponding slots in the opposite sides of the bifurcation, and a catch-socket at the opposite end of the jaw, a substantially U-shaped jaw, having one end provided with a rounded head, which is slidable within the bifurcation, a transverse pivot-pin carried by the head and slidable within the corresponding slots, a bowed leafspring embracing the rounded head, having its inner end-bearing against the inner end wall of the bifurcation, and its opposite end connected to the outer side of the U-shaped jaw, to normally hold the latter'at one limit thereof, and a latch at the free end of the U-shaped jaw, to interlock with the catch-socket.

In ltestimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHAN RICHARD FROBERG.

Witnesses:

DANIEL SEYMOUR COLLINS, ALFRED JOHN AEGALL. 

